Welcome to Fortify Friday—a day at Seriously Write that is devoted to featuring guest authors. They share their journeys to publication, as well as encouraging words to other writers. Kathi Macias is known for writing fiction with international settings. She’s here today, sharing a part of her writing experience. Enjoy!
Fiction with a Mission
By Kathi Macias
From the moment I signed the contract with New Hope Publishers for my four-book Extreme Devotion fiction series, I began hearing variations of the same question: What’s the genre?
Tough one to answer. I suppose contemporary international fiction sums it up best, since each book is set in a different country and takes place in modern times. But New Hope, which is known for its passion for missions, has opted to call it “Fiction with a Mission,” and I couldn’t be more pleased with that label.
The first two books of the series, No Greater Love, which is set in South Africa in 1989 during the violence and upheaval preceding the overthrow of Apartheid, and More than Conquerors, set in Mexico and dealing with the Mayan culture and influence, released April 5, 2010. Book three, Red Ink, is set in China and released in October 2010, while the final one, People of the Book, set in Saudi Arabia, released in April 2011.
The writing and production of this series was an exciting shared adventure, as I partnered with New Hope Publishers in their first fiction launch even while I learned about the unique aspects of writing fiction in international settings. Of the four countries highlighted in the books, I have been to only one—Mexico—but I have never set foot in the area where the Mayan culture is so strong and where much of that book takes place. Can anyone say RESEARCH? Online research, library research, books and videos and movies—and people. My greatest resource for authentic research was connecting with people who either currently live in the countries where my stories occur or had recently lived there. Though I began the writing of the stories based on much of my online and book research, the majority of personal touches that make readers say, “Wow, it’s like I’m right there!” came about as a result of feedback from those who know the areas and culture firsthand.
And now we are in the midst of the Freedom series, a “fiction with a mission” trilogy based on the topic of human trafficking. Though much of these three books will take place right here in the States, as I wanted readers to understand that human trafficking doesn’t just happen in faraway lands, the books will also contain a strong sub-plot set in the Golden Triangle area of Thailand. (Yep, more research!) Even our stand-alone 2011 Christmas book, A Christmas Journey Home, has an international setting, with the story going back and forth between the Baja area of Mexico and the Arizona desert.
As an author of Christian books, this is my way of “going into all the world” to fulfill the Great Commission—and calling others to do the same. I pray my venture into international fiction will truly prove to be “fiction with a mission” for all who read it—and who may find themselves called to expand their own writing into this exciting and growing genre.
Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored more than 30 books and ghostwritten numerous others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi lives in Southern California with her husband, Al, where the two of them spend their free time buzzing around in Al’s 2005 sunburst orange Corvette—hence, Kathi’s “road name” of Easy Writer.Most recent release: People of the Book (book four in Extreme Devotion series) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rTagWdoXy4
To find out more about Kathi and her books, please visit www.kathimacias.com;http://www.thetitus2women.com/;
